Means for attaching a covering surface to an electric lamp shade



y 23, 1958 R. w. WASHICK MEANS FOR ATTACHING A COVERING SURFACE TO AN ELECTRIC LAMP SHADE Filed 001;. 6, 1966 JNvENToR Ramon/n w. u/ smcn Mean, e5

United States Patent 3,385,963 MEANS FGR ATTACHING A COVERKNG SURFACE TO AN ELECTRIC LAMP SHADE Raymond W. Washick, 6109 Belleair Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45224 Filed Oct. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 584,777 8 Claims. (Cl. 240-108) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hollow shade having open upper and lower ends is adapted to have secured thereto an exterior cover of some type of covering material. The exterior covering material is wrapped around the free upper and lower ends of the lamp shade and said cover secured in position by a clamping member which includes flexible clamping fingers respectively engaging the covering material and holding it against displacement on the lamp shade body.

Preferably the said holding member is in the form of a strip of flexible vinyl plastic.

Summary 0 the invention This invention relates to improvements in electric lamp shades, and particularly to the means for attaching a covering surface to an electric lamp shade.

Electric lamps, as herein contemplated, are those which are referred to as table" lamp and are used in plural numbers in the homes, public places, such as restaurants and taverns, hotel lobbies and hotel rooms. These lamps are generally provided with a relatively simple outer surface, that is, plain surface, even though occasionally they are provided with ornamental decoration in a neutral shade or color in other arbitrary colors.

The said electric table lamps including a cover is not particularly expensive when considered individually, but in view of the relatively large numbers of lamps and shades that are employed it would become quite expensive to change the lamp, because of the shade color, each time the color or motive of a room is changed.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present inven tion to provide a lamp shade together with means Whereby its decorative cover may be readily and inexpensively changed.

Another object of this invention is the provision of means whereby the ornamental cover of a table electric lamp may be changed and at the same time have said cover fitting with such snugness that without particularly examining the said lamp shade it would seem to be an integral part of the lamp shade as heretofore known.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for accomplishing the foregoing objects, that can be economically produced and acquired, and a shade decorative cover that, in and of itself, was not necessarily originally intended as a shade and secured in position by securing means that is readily employed with the lamp shade,

per se.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and it is to be understood that any modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lamp shade having incorporated therewith the securing means of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of "ice the lamp shade of FIG. 1 as would be seen in a vertical axial section of the said shade of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of one form of securing means as seen from line 3-3 on FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a short length of said one form of shade attaching means, forming a detail of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a view substantially identical to FIG. 4 except that it is a second form of attaching means and is provided with inherent means whereby a neat appearance may be given to the said shade decorative cover securing means.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to FIG. 3 utilizing however the attaching means of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7, again, is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing a further modification in the attaching means.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view through the lower end of the lamp shade showing the decorative cover in operative relation thereon and at the same time disclosing a further modification in the attaching means and minimizing the amount of attaching means visible after assembly.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken transversely of the shade in FIG. 1 and seen from line 9-9 on said FIG. 1 and disclosing the means for connecting the vertical edges of the shade cover.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the shade and its cover edges attaching means as seen from line 10-10 on FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view through a portion of the lamp shade and cover as seen from line 11-11 011 FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of one form of the securing means as seen from along line f2i2 on FIG. 11.

Throughout the several views of the drawings similar reference characters are employed to denote the same or similar parts.

As was noted above this invention pertains to improvements in lamp shades and more particularly to the means for attaching an exterior cover to the lamp shade, per se. The basic lamp shade illustrated in FIG. 1 is of a type generally referred to as a drum shade and that is a shade having a body portion 10 circular in transverse cross-section and of a diameter substantially the same between the upper and lower ends thereof. Said lamp shade body portion 10 has at its opposite ends integral circular portions or beads 11 and 12. The exterior surface of the lamp shade body portion 10 is generally of a uniform color entirely around the said body portion and this color is generally white or cream. it is to be understood that, while the foregoing dealt with what is known as a drum type shade, the said remarks pertain to any other type of lamp shade, such as the truncated cone type of lamp shade.

Any suitable or desirable means, none shown in the drawing, may be employed for securing the shade to a lamp pedestal, not shown in the drawing, to encircle the lamp bulb, generally at the upper end of the pedestal. To a large degree similar electric lamp shades may be provided for wall bracket electric lamps to again secure the shades in a desirable way to completely encircle the electric light bulb.

Obviously, the outer surface of the lamp shade body 10 will in time become soiled and either require refinishing or being completely disposed of. At the same time, and even though the outer surface of the lamp shade body 10 does not become soiled, it maybe desirable to change the color or add color, or color figures to the shade to cooperate with the present color scheme of a given room or the like. it may also be desirable to change the said lamp shade cover for particular occasions such as group meetings and thereafter either remove the shade cover or replace it for the next group meeting.

The simplest method of effecting such a change in outer surface of the lamp shade body is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4. As there shown a cover 13 in any suitable or desirable fabric is cut to a length substantially equal to the diameter of the said lamp shade body 10 with a small amount in excess of the said actual lamp shade length. The fabric 13 is also cut to the height of the lamp shade body 11 including the outer circumference of the beads 11 and 12 and again with a slight amount of the fabric in excess to this exact measurement as will presently be made clear.

A strip of fabric anchoring and/or securing means is cut to a length substantially equal to the circumference of the top head 11 and bottom head 12, said strip or strips being illustrated in perspective in FIG. 4 and indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 14. The anchoring or securing strip 14 is preferably formed or molded of plastic, specifically flexible vinyl plastic and has a width, W, as near to the diameter of either head 11 or 12, as is preferable, and having a height, H, slightly in excess of the width W. Substantially centrally, axially, of the strip 14, it is provided with a circular bore 15 of a diameter close to the diameter of either of the beads 11 or 12. Said strip 14 has extending tangentially from one side of said body bore 15 a vertical passageway 16, extending from the said bead channel or bore to the horizontal outside surface 17.

In practice the upper edge or end, for example, of the lamp shade material 13 is laid on the upper bead 11 and one end of the flexible plastic binding strip 14 placed over the said fabric end and pushed down until a solid engagement is effected through the head 11 and with the cover fabric 13 on the exterior surface of the lamp shade body 10 around the head 11 and outwardly of the vertical passageway 16. The said binding or securing strip 14 extends continuously around the periphery of the bead 11 from any point thereon, but, preferably from a point that may readily be the rear of the lamp shade when placed in use.

The other end of the fabric cover 13 is similarly wrapped around the head 12 and a binding or securing strip 14 placed thereover in the same manner as above set forth for bead 11.

With the fabric cover in the position just described the end 18 of the upper edge of the fabric cover 13 and the end 19 at the lower end of said cover, that is, the portions of said cover fabric after passing over the shade body beads 11 and 12 inwardly project as illustrated in dotted lines at 21) and 21 in said FIG. 2. In the event the shade fabric outer cover 13 is not taut on the shade body portion 10, a pull on either the inwardly extending projections 20 and 21 of the cover will take up the slack in the said cover fabric 13 and cause a tight clinging of the cover to the shade body 10. At this time the inwardly projecting portions 20 and 21 of the coveing fabric 13 is cut off to be even with the surface 17 of the securing or attaching strip and as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In the event that it it not desired to completely remove the inwardly projecting portions 20 and 21 of the cover fabric use may be made of an attaching and securing strip as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 identified, in general, by the reference numeral 22. This strip 22 has a width W somewhat greater than the width W of the strip 14 with a height H substantially identical with the height H of the said strip 14. The increased width, W, of the strip 22 permits the formation in said strip of an inwardly extending groove 23 having non-parallel sides 24 and 25, for a purpose presently to be described. The groove 23 has a depth somewhat short of the lower face of the strip 22, this depth not being of any particular consequence except as will be presently made clear.

The modified securing strip 22 of FIG. 5 is illustrated in operative relation in FIG. 6 and as will be seen the fabric decorative portion 13 has its lower end wrapped around the head 12 and brought inwardly of the shade body 10 as at 26 and which is, as noted above, the inwardly projecting edge 21 of the fabric cover. Instead of cutting off the inwardly projecting edge 21 the same may be extended across the surface 17 of the strip 22 and the end thereof then tucked into the groove 23. The inwardly inclined sides 24 and of said groove at their upper end is of a dimension less than the thickness of the fabric cover and thereby pinches the said inserted portion 27 of the cover fabric to prevent its inadvertent withdrawal from the said groove and thereby effect a neat and efficient disposal of the end of the removable fabric cover 13.

The modification illustrated in FIG. 7 merely discloses the body portion 28 of a securing strip such as 14 or 22 as being rounded and not rectangular as most completely illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6.

In FIG. 8 is illustrated a securing or mounting strip 29 similar in all respects to the strip 14 except that its body portion is larger in height H and is provided with a groove 39 upwardly of said securing or mounting strip lower face 31. The end of the fabric cover, when employed as in FIG. 8, is laid across the surface 31 of the mounting strip H and a clamping member 32, having a rounded projecting securing knob 33 for the length thereof, is forced into the upwardly extending groove for thereby securing the portion 34 of the fabric cover 13 to the strip 29. It is obvious that the fabric cover 13 is pulled taut across the said face 31 before the securing or locking strip 32 is applied.

As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 means are provided for holding the longitudinal edge of the shade fabric cover 13 in vertical securement, as distinguished from the horizontal securement of the horizontal edges and ends of an electric lamp shade. As seen in FIGS. 9 and 10 the vertical edge 35 on the shade fabric 13 is overlapped with regard to the second vertical edge 36 over said shade cover. The said overlapped ends are disposed on the upper surface 37 of a strip of flexible plastic 38 such as the plastic known as vinyl plastic. The said strip 38 has formed downwardly of its surface 37 a groove 39 which extends the full length of the said strip 38.

With the ends 35 and 36, of the fabric cover 13, in the position just described would mean that said ends 35 and 36 span the groove 39 in the strip 38. At this time a second flexible strip of vinyl plastic 40 is placed over the strip 38 and a projecting knob or tongue 41, from its surface 42, is forced into the groove 39. This arrangement locks the vertical edges of the shade covering material to one another in a snug arrangement in the same manner that the longitudinal edges of the covering fabric are secured to the upper and lower ends of the body 10 of the shade.

In practice the said vertical edge securing strips 39 and 40 are conveniently and desirably arranged to be along the rear of the lamp shade as it would be viewed when in use by a person observing the nearest exposed area of the said lamp and its shade.

It is to be understood that with either of the end attaching members 14, 22, 28 and 32 the ends thereof are cut to closely engage one another and since, as set forth above, said joint is at the rear of the lamp shade it would be over the vertical attaching strips 38 and 39. Since the said end locking members are flexible there will be a certain amount of longitudinal stretch in these members, wherefore the joint may not always be perfect and could show gaps, even though relatively minute, in this joint. In order to cover any possible unsightliness, in this joint, an extremely thin, wall thickness, clip or the like 43 of stiff or nonflexible plastic, such as one of the vinyl plastics, may be provided to clip over the abutting ends of the fastening or securing member such as 14. This clip is quite thin in the nature of fifteen to twenty thousands (.015" to .020") of an inch thick. Further as seen in FIG. 11 the said clip as a whole is molded to a radius somewhat equal to the radius of the lamp shade having applied thereto the outer cover.

It is believed that the operation of the mechanism of the present invention is readily understood and the main purpose of the invention is to provide means whereby a fabric type of material can be temporarily, or permanently, attached to an existing lamp shade body and wherein said covering material is tautly extended both circumferentially of the shade and longitudinally thereof and the horizontal edges and vertical edges of the shade are secured to one another for release, when and if said release is desired.

It is of course to be understood that the end securement of the fabric cover may be employed without the vertical securing means and with said vertical edges either allowed to remain in simple edge contact, or vertical edge overlapping arrangement, even with said vertical overlapping edges secured to one another by adhesive after the upper and lower ends thereof have been secured, or said overlapped ends may be secured by any suitable or desirable means, such as sewing, before the cover fabric material is attached to the frame body portion, and in which latter condition the exposed shade cover fabric would be pulled onto the shade body, much the same as a glove is pulled onto the hand and then the upper and lower edges of the shade secured, supra.

From the foregoing it is believed that the objects initially set forth have been accomplished.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lamp shade of the class described the combination with a lamp shade, per se, having a body portion around the axis thereof and hollow for its length and including said body portion with the upper and lower ends thereof open and defining the shape of the hollow through the body portion and which lamp shade is ready for use, of a fabric cover for said shade and particularly the lamp shade body portion exterior and with said cover extending throughout the length of the body portion around its axis and from its upper to its lower end, and removable flexible means engaging the upper and lower ends of the lamp shade body portion and cover and constitute the sole means for removably securing the cover to the said lamp shade body portion.

2. In a lamp shade of the class described as set forth in claim 1 characterized by, said flexible means for attaching the upper and lower ends of the lamp shade fabric cover to the lamp shade body portion including a flexible member of a width greater than the thickness of the lamp shade body portion ends and ends of the cover adjacent thereto with said securing means including fingers to grip and lock the ends of the body portion and cover to one another.

3. In a lamp shade of the class described as set forth in claim 1 characterize-d by, said lamp shade body portion having at its opposite ends enlargements with said cover disposed therearound and with the free ends of the cover within the lamp shade body portion, and said securing means including flexible fingers respectively engaging the shade body enlarged ends and portions of the lamp shade cover around said enlarged ends of the lamp shade body portion for yieldably holding said parts against disassociation.

4. In a lamp shade of the class described as set forth in claim 1 characterized by, said lamp shade body portion having at its opposite ends enlargements with said cover disposed therearound and with the free ends of the cover within the lamp shade body portion, and said securing means including flexible fingers respectively engaging the shaded body enlarged ends and portions of the lamp shade cover around said enlarged ends of the lamp shade body portion for yieldably holding said parts against disassociation, said securing means and flexible holding fingers being preferably formed as a strip of a flexible vinyl plastic material with its ends in butt contact.

5. In a lamp shade of the class described as set forth in claim 1 characterized by, said lamp shade body portion having at its opposite ends enlargements with said cover disposed therearound and with the free ends of the cover within the lamp shade body portion, said securing means including flexible fingers respectively engaging the shade body enlarged ends and portions of the lamp shade cover around said enlarged ends of the lamp shade body portion for yieldably holding said parts again-st disassociati-on, said securing means and flexible holding fingers being prefea bly formed as a strip of a flexible vinyl plastic material with its ends in butt contact, and a. clip of relatively non-flexible vinyl plastic on said flexible securing means in position to hide the butt joint of the said securing means.

6. In a lamp shade of the class described as set forth in claim 1 characterized by, said lamp shade body portion having at its opposite ends enlargements with said cover disposed therearound and with the free ends of the cover within the lamp shade body portion, said securing means including flexible fingers respectively engaging the shade body enlarged ends and portions of the lamp shade cover around said enlarged ends of the lamp shade body portion for yieldably holding said parts against disassociation, said securing means and flexible holding fingers being preferably formed as a strip of a flexible vinyl plastic material with its ends in butt contact, and each of said securing vinyl plastic strips having formed therein inwardly of the attachment with the shade body a groove throughout the length of the attaching and securing strip for receiving and hiding the edge of the cover material.

7. In a lamp shade of the class described as set forth in claim 1 characterized by, the attachment of the vertical edges of the cover by flexible strips of a length equal to the length of the lamp shade body portion and which strips are interlocked with one another throughout their length and with the edges of the shad-e cover material between said strips for thereby locking the longitudinal edges of the cover material against disassociation.

8. In a lamp shade of the class described as set forth in claim 1 characterized by, one of said end shade cover securing means including a flexible strip engaging the lamp shade end and said flexible strip on the other side thereof having a groove extending thereinto, and a locking strip including an upstanding locking tongue adapted to enter the aforementioned strip groove and with the end of the lamp shade covering fabric disposed between the two strips and secured by the tongue of the locking strip into the groove of the lamp shade carrying strip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1950 Wronkowski 240-46.59 1/1958 Linderoth 240- X 

